Bill revises rules for
physician assistants

COLUMBUS -- A proposal that passed the Ohio House would change laws governing the licensing of physician assistants and give them authority to write prescriptions.

Physician assistants would need at least a master's degree or have had prescriptive authority while practicing in the military, in order to write prescriptions. They also would need to be issued a prescriber number by the state Medical Board. And their first 500 hours of prescribing would have to be under a physician's supervision.

The House passed the legislation Wednesday. It would allow a physician to supervise up to three physician assistants, rather than two, at one time.

State Rep. Anne Gonzales, the bill's sponsor, says it will help physician assistants better use their full capabilities of training.